I bought some matching laminate and a cabinet latch from  GW and made a new front panel (where the rear speakers are mounted) with a door. Looks like it came from the factory that way. Keeps things from flying out when I have to hit the brakes :)
Mike M

Sent from my iPad

> On Jun 28, 2014, at 9:24, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> The exceptions to this are the '85 and earlier units in Westys.  Useless,
> but the good news is the Westy cabinet is still there, albeit with no door.
> The storage space is far more useful for me, but I don't live in a hot humid
> climate.
> 
> If I did or ever start travelling extensively, I'd consider Small Car's
> in-dash system:
> http://www.smallcar.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=62  My only
> concern with this conversion is it eliminates all fresh air intakes, leaving
> the windows as your only option.  But that's the most efficient way to run
> it when it's really hot anyway.
> 
> Stuart
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Dennis Haynes
> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 8:28 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: AC Removal
> 
> I feel the same way. The 87 and later units work well even running R134A if
> repaired and charged correctly. Properly service they should not require
> much maintenance. They do however rob engine power and fuel economy.
> 
> Dennis
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Zeitgeist
> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 10:55 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: AC Removal
> 
> A little piece of me dies every time I hear of someone removing the AC from
> their T3.  It really works great in a well sorted system running R12 or some
> equivalent.  In sunnier climes, try a good 3M UV window tint as a means of
> mitigating heat soak during brief stops
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Jun 28, 2014, at 5:53 AM, Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> 
>> Thanks for your help, Kieth.  At some point VW changed the way they
>> hung the AC from what's described in Bentley.  All bolts and screws on
>> mine came out from below the rear bed board.  It's a pretty easy one
>> man job that way and it's not heavy so it can be held with one arm
>> while the last bolts are removed.  I did put a sawhorse under it,
>> though, to keep it from possibly crashing down.
>> 
>> I'm in Georgia and, yes, there have been times over the years when the
>> heat without AC was almost unbearable.  Those are the times when I
>> dream of driving down the road with a electric generator in the
>> luggage rack running a portable AC in the cab.
>> 
>> I think I'll leave the space open.  After 29 years of driving my
>> Westfalia, I'd like to be able to see something in the rear view
>> mirror besides tailgaters. Trimming it out will be a challenge,
>> though, especially since i want to make everything reversible.  Of
>> course, with all that stuff I had to pull out, this is a good time to
>> add extra lighting.  And I can put some better speakers back there,
>> too.  Oh well, it's too damn hot and humid to go camping, anyway.
>> 
>> 
>>> On Fri, Jun 27, 2014 at 7:47 PM, JRodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Works in cooler or drier climes - but in Alabama, Georgia,
>>> Mississippi and North Florida - in the summertime by the time  you
>>> got to your destination you would be parboiled!
>>> 
>>> John
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On 6/27/2014 3:38 PM, Michael Magnani wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> I permanently removed my entire A/C system from my 90 Westy for the
>>>> same reason: it always leaked refrigerant and even when it was
>>>> properly serviced, never worked all that well. Removing the
>>>> compressor has made working on the engine a lot easier and I turned
>>>> the space where the evaporator lived into a nice additional storage
> cabinet.
>>>> Mike M
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Friday, June 27, 2014 5:48 AM, Steven Shelton
>>>> <shelton4@GMAIL.COM>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> I don't plan on reinstalling the AC.  When I bought the camper new,
>>>> the AC was only slightly better than open windows.  Years ago, when
>>>> the freon leaked out and the technician said the leak must be
>>>> somewhere in the cabinetry, I just did without.  My rationale was
>>>> that an enclosed, air conditioned environment just separates you
>>>> from
> the travel experience.
>>>> The
>>>> windshield becomes a TV screen for a travelogue.  Of course, when we
>>>> were in west Texas last month traveling into the afternoon sun with
>>>> the temperature at 102 (103 inside the cab), my rationale seemed
>>>> pretty irrational.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 9:39 PM, Keith Hughes
>>>> <keithahughes@yahoo.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Steven,
>>>>> 
>>>>> You're right.  You have to drop it down, then tilt it down towards
>>>>> the passenger side.  You have to first reach inside and either
>>>>> disconnect the condensate lines from both sides of the drip pan (I
>>>>> don't recommend that) or pull both tubes up and into the evap
>>>>> housing cabinet.  Then while supporting the evaporator and fan
>>>>> housing, remove the cabinet.  This is a PITA alone, but doable
>>>>> (i've used a bar stool and hydraulic jack sitting on the engine
>>>>> cover to prop up the cabinet).  Much easier with another pair of
>>>>> hands.  The evap/fan housing is very brittle, and loves to crack,
>>>>> so you need to be careful.  You can't support it from the support
>>>>> brackets because the evap fan makes it super front-heavy.  I've
>>>>> just used the bar stool and boxes stacked to the right height to
>>>>> support it while disconnecting the AC lines.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Last year I made a number of mods to my A/C system, including a new
>>>>> A/C cabinet, but one thing I did that you may consider is to fully
>>>>> enclose the Evap housing (bottom), reinforcing with aluminum angle
>>>>> on the perimeter, and adding a front bracket for the housing.  Now
>>>>> it's self-supporting, and the cabinet can be pulled without
>>>>> disturbing the evap housing.  pmail if you want pics of the mod I
>>>>> did - wasn't that difficult.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Keith Hughes
>>>>> '86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>  Date:    Thu, 26 Jun 2014 18:15:24 -0400
>>>>>  From:    Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM>
>>>>>  Subject: AC Removal
>>>>> 
>>>>>  I need to remove the closet of my 1985 Westfalia for some
>>>>>  rear corner
>>>>>  bodywork.  Of course, I have to remove the air
>>>>>  conditioner cabinet to get
>>>>>  the closet out.  I've started removing the AC cabinet
>>>>>  but it looks like the
>>>>>  evaporator, evaporator housing, and fan will all come out
>>>>>  with the cabinet.
>>>>>   But I can't get to the refrigerant hoses to disconnect them
>>>>>  before the
>>>>>  cabinet comes down.  Bentley isn't clear on this, and
>>>>>  what they describe is
>>>>>  different from what I have anyway.  What do I need to
>>>>>  do to keep everything
>>>>>  from crashing down at once?
>>>>